City of Desire
by vengefulrose
Summary: Jace and Clary seem to have the perfect relationship but then the Lightwoods cousin Evangeline shakes things up. Will they stay together? What will happen? R&R please. My first story. JxC JxOC SxOC SxC CxOC Many surprises along the way. Thanks guys. I don't own TMI. Mostly in Evangeline's POV, kind of OOC.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay this is my first story, so don't be too hard on me. Just tell me if you like it! R&R**

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**City of Desire**

Chapter One

_(Evangeline POV)_

"Evangeline," I heard my mother calling as I slept. The noise roused me from my slumber, and I yawned delicately as the hazy light of morning invaded my consciousness. "Evangeline."

"Mama," I mumbled sleepily, tossing and turning beneath the shelter of my blankets.

"Evangeline."

I finally awoke completely, opening my luminous blue eyes and sitting up. I saw my pastel-colored room, with its ethereal canopy bed and elegant white furniture. I was in the middle of the French countryside, far away from regular civilization. The luxurious mansion that I shared with Mama, to be exact. I was an only child, and a pampered one at that. I wondered where the servants were, and then remembered my true predicament.

"Mama," I whispered to myself, trying to conceal my innate sadness. She was not actually calling me. She couldn't call anyone anymore, especially her only daughter. Mama was dead.

I shed a few tears, sobbing mutedly, before collecting myself and stepping out of bed. It was silly of me to forget that Mama had just perished in a demon raid, and that I was now orphaned. I have never known my father, as Mama used to tell me that it was an illicit affair that her entire family disapproved of. It was that small detail that had gotten Astrid Trueblood, my dear mother, exiled from her home in Idris to here. I had never met any other members of my family.

On my way to my dressing-room, I noted the cheerful fire flickering in my personal fireplace, and knew that one of the servants must have been in my room before I awoke. My dressing-room was attached to my bedroom, and was like a closet mixed with a small boutique where everything was in my size. I ran my fingers through the soft fabrics of my numerous dresses as I walked alongside one of the racks, contemplating what I should wear on the first day of my new life.

Today was the day that I was to meet with representatives from the Clave to determine my fate. As I was only seventeen, I doubted that I would be given my beloved house. It was a sad fact.

This sad fact prompted me to choose my fitted, silk dress that was the color of my eyes, bright sapphire. It was my way of mourning my mother and expressing my sadness, although that shade of blue doubled as my favorite color.

I pulled off my lace nightgown in front of one of my many mirrors, replacing it with my dress and a nice pair of heels. Then, I studied my reflection.

I have always been beautiful. I draw the envy of many women, what with my gorgeous facial features. The first thing I noticed, as usual, was my eyes. They were large and resplendent, matching my dress color exactly. I had the same eyes as my mother. I also had the same hair, which was ink-black, curly, voluminous, and reaching my lower back. A fringe of raven-colored bangs framed my eyes, accentuating my angular eyebrows that winged up at the corners. I also had a straight nose, high cheekbones, and full lips. My skin was milky and almost translucent. I looked exactly like my deceased Mama, only prettier and younger.

I applied red lipstick to my pouty lips, shook out my ringlets to make them appear more tousled, and then looked back into the mirror. My look was complete. I was radiant.

I went downstairs to where one of the servants was fixing me my favorite breakfast of a sliced apple and yogurt. I was very slender and willowy, and had to keep up my figure by eating healthy. It was no problem for me, especially because I thought that unhealthy food was gross.

Mama had taught me about eating well. I missed her desperately. I tried not to cry, overcome with the poignant emotion of sorrow.

"Evangeline, are you okay?" asked the servant who was slicing my apple, Claudine.

I smiled tearfully, touched at her concern. "I am fine, Claudine. Thank you for asking, though."

"You have a big day today," she reminded me, "with the Clave people coming to talk to you."

"I know," I told her, taking my seat at the long and fancy dining room table.

Claudine put my plate of apple slices and my dish of yogurt in front of me, instructing me, "You should eat up."

"Okay." Then I ate.

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"Hello. You must be Evangeline," said the Clave representative, Mr. Ravenwing.

"Yes," I informed him, taking a seat on the couch opposite his in the opulent parlor of my mansion. "How do you do?"

He smiled at my politeness. Mr. Ravenwing was a short man with horn-rimmed glasses. "Quite well, thank you. Yourself?"

"I am… coping," I said honestly, referencing my grief from my mother's death.

He nodded solemnly. "Yes. I am afraid that you will not be able to keep this here manor."

My heart sank, although I had expected as much. "Oh," was all I could say.

"We at the Clave find it best to send you to live with your closest relatives."

"You mean… my mother's family?" That was an exciting prospect. Still, if they hated my mother, would they hate me?

"Yes. Particularly, your mother's identical twin sister and her family."

"What?" Mama had never told me about a twin sister, nonetheless an identical one.

Mr. Ravenwing nodded again. "The Lightwood family."

"But… where do they live?" The French countryside was all I had ever known. I would be like a fish out of water, no matter where I went.

"The New York City Institute."

Something occurred to me. "What will happen to this house?"

"It will be yours, for when you reach adulthood in four months. Only then can you return, but if you so choose, you can stay in New York with your aunt, uncle, and cousins."

I took absorbed everything that he was saying and committed it to memory. "Alright," I said, understanding completely. "When do I leave?"

"We have a temporary Portal set up right now in the garden. You can leave immediately."

"What about all my possessions?"

"Your servants have been packing your clothes up all morning. You will not be able to take your furniture, of course."

"Okay. I'm ready to go," I announced, standing up and walking out of my mansion to the gardens. I often loved walking through the immense place and smelling the flowers in the springtime. As it was autumn, no flowers were out, but that was alright with me. I hoped that they would bloom after I returned.

I saw all my servants outside holding bags of my clothes. It looked like most of my wardrobe was being left behind, which was regrettable, but was a sacrifice that I was required to make.

I stepped through the Portal into my new life.

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**A/N: So what did you think? Is it good? I dont know whether I should continue or not. :( So review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_(Evangeline POV)_

When I stepped through the Portal, I saw a large and beautiful cathedral with many people standing in front of it. About five or so, with one being an adult woman and the rest being teenagers. I froze, suddenly very nervous and bashful, as my servants hauled my luggage through the Portal.

"Don't be afraid," the woman said, which drew my eyes to her. And… she looked just like my Mama. Her black, curly hair was bluntly chopped off at the shoulders, which was different, and she was wearing high-fashion clothes, but the overall similarity was uncanny. "You must be Evangeline. I certainly see the family resemblance." Her full mouth tilted up into a very familiar smile that made my heart ache. This _had_ to be Mama's twin sister.

"Y-yes, I am Evangeline," I said shyly. I was used to being the center of attention at my mansion, but I had known everyone there from when I was a little girl. I did not know anyone here, and it wasn't like I had ever known many people my age.

"Well, it is very nice to meet you. I am your Aunt Maryse. And these are your cousins, my children Alec and Isabelle." She gestured to two teenagers who stepped forward. They also looked like me, especially the boy, who I assumed to be Alec.

He had black hair that hung in his eyes, which were identical to mine, a bit haphazardly. Alec, too, had shared my finely boned features and winging eyebrows, as did his sister, Isabelle. They both could have passed for siblings of mine, although they both were much taller than me. Isabelle, even, had to have been at least three inches taller than my 5'6". Her eyes were dark brown, and made up in heavy eyeliner. She was wearing a short, form-fitting, dark green dress and tall black boots. Her outfit wasn't really my style, but it looked nice on her. Alec, meanwhile, could use some help, I decided. Tattered and faded sweaters didn't look nice on _anyone_.

I took the initiative in being sociable. "Hello," I told them. They were my _cousins_, after all. Hopefully, they would like me.

Isabelle smiled hugely, walking up and immediately wrapping her arms around me in a hug. "I can definitely handle another girl in the house." She pulled back for a second, grinning in my direction. "And I've always wanted a sister."

I was touched by her friendliness. Was this what it was like to have siblings? "I've always wanted a sister, too."

I looked to Alec to see if he would be as openly affectionate, and found him still standing where he was with his hands in the pockets of his shapeless jeans. He was half-smiling, at least. Regardless, I was embarrassed by expecting better treatment, and found my cheeks growing warm.

Finally, he shrugged, "I guess I can handle another sister, as long as you're not like Izzy," ending in a playful sneer at Isabelle. Was that her nickname? It had to be.

"Shush, Alec," commanded Isabelle, an arm hooked around my shoulders. She added to me in an undertone, "I find it best to ignore him."

I laughed, and stopped when I heard a young man saying, "Maryse, aren't you going to introduce _me_? I'm very hurt by your omission. _I_ thought I was a part of the family already."

Maryse said, "Oh, forgive me. Evangeline, this is Jace."

I glanced up at the young man, my lips parted in surprise, and found myself staring at an extremely handsome boy in his late teens. His hair was a dark gold color and fell in curls around his face. And I instantly registered that we were locking eyes, his being the same color as his hair. The way he was staring at me was bemused but equally interested and curious. It was all I could do to stare back at this glorious representation of a man.

"Evangeline, eh?" he said in a low, seductive voice from where he was standing. "You look an awful lot like your cousins. Welcome to the family."

It abruptly struck me that the two of us could be related. I felt my nose wrinkle, and sensed a sort of disappointment that welled up inside me, for reasons that I didn't even know of. It was just that he was so handsome, almost like my visions of princes from the fairy tales Mama had told me when I was a child. "Surely _you_ aren't my cousin, too?"

He smirked and crossed his arms. The arrogance that seemed to trickle from him was almost palpable. "Thankfully, no. I'm adopted."

Someone cleared her throat from next to him, which drew my eyes to her. "Eh-hem," she said in a high, expressive voice, "I think I deserve an introduction, too."

She was a tiny thing, barely coming up to Jace's shoulders, with flaming red hair that was twisted into braids and huge emerald eyes. She didn't have the classic looks of my family or the over-the-top looks of Jace, but I found her incredibly adorable.

When no one said anything, she said, "Okay, then. I'm Clary, Jace's girlfriend."

The disappointment that came over me was more of a crushing blow this time, as opposed to my previous sense of slight discomfort. I looked to Jace for confirmation and found him staring impassively at the cement on the sidewalk below.

"Oh," I said, recovering faintly. "That's wonderful. Nice to meet you."

She smiled kindly back at me, and I was overcome with silent remorse for my feelings. "You too," Clary beamed at me, her face lighting up. "And I'm sorry to hear about your mom."

My brilliant blue eyes welled with tears and my lip started trembling at the recent memory of losing Mama. Isabelle must have noticed from standing so close to me, because she began leading me towards the gigantic cathedral ahead. "Come on," my lookalike told me kindly. "I'll show you around."

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**A/N: So thanks to mia95 and bubblegirl26 for the wonderful support! It was your encouragement that made me write this so fast, especially mia95. :) And Nightkill, I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean about my OC needing work. Can you explain?**

**REVIEW PLEASE FOR FAST UPDATES  
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**lots of love xoxo  
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	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So, because of requests, I've included a ClaryxJace scene for all of you. And don't make any quick judgments about any of the couples (existing or otherwise), because I have lots of surprises planned. :D  
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**This chapter is for waterbluewings, since she requested some Clace.  
**

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Chapter Three

_(Clary POV)_

After we all met Evangeline, Jace and I went back into the Institute and up to his bedroom. We usually hung out there, because we weren't often interrupted and stuff like that.

We entered his room holding hands and stepped in. Once we were inside, Jace slammed the door and immediately pushed me up against it, kissing me passionately. I giggled and tried to evade his seeking lips, because I wanted to talk. We could kiss later.

"Stop it," I reprimanded him gently, still giggling and turning my face away.

"Why, what's wrong?" Jace asked in a husky growl before diving in again.

I inched my head back and cupped my hand over his mouth. "I can't answer you when you're doing that."

In response, he licked my hand. When I pulled it away instinctively, he was smirking devilishly.

"Ew," I said immediately, wiping my hand off on his shirt.

"You don't seem to mind my tongue in other circumstances."

I put my hands on my hips defiantly and channeled my inner diva, as I often did whenever he was getting pushy or particularly boyish. I bet that he liked it when I took charge, actually. "Jace. _No_. Now sit down on your bed."

"Yes, dear," he responded, throwing his hands in the air submissively and taking his seat. "Now what?"

I sat next to him, our legs touching. "I just want to talk right now, but it's hard to do that when you try to sexualize everything all the time."

"You're talking about it like it's a problem."

I laughed, thankful that I had a funny boyfriend but, at the same time, attempting to stay on-topic. "So, what do you think of Evangeline?"

He shrugged noncommittally. "I don't really know enough about her yet to form a serious opinion."

"She sure is pretty." I was testing the waters to see if he was secretly interested. I was always worried about him cheating, because of the whole Aline thing ages ago. That, and because he was so attractive and had a rampant sex drive. He constantly assured me that he belonged to me and me only, but sometimes, a girl has to wonder. What girl _wouldn't_ want Jace? I felt really lucky to have him.

"So are you," he said, sounding sincere and staring into my eyes.

I smiled at the flattery. I wasn't quite over my confidence issues yet, but Jace's assurances were improving the situation. "Really?"

His grin was angelic, but had a slightly evil quality to it. Typical Jace. "I can't lie, remember? And even if I could, I wouldn't lie to you. Alec, maybe, but not you."

"Okay, fine." I leaned forward and kissed him lightly, just a peck. "She seems nice, though. Evangeline."

"A bit naïve, but I suppose that can translate to 'nice' in some social circles."

"She's just out-of-place. Once she adjusts, I bet she'll be fine." I smiled at my memories of the summer of the previous year, when I had first learned about the Shadow World and met Jace. "Like me."

"Maybe you're right." All of a sudden, he nudged me until I fell onto my back on his bed, and then climbed on top of me. "Now, where were we?"

It was Diva-Time again. Little did Jace know, whenever I took charge, I was always picturing Izzy and trying to emulate her. "No. _You_ lie down."

He did so obediently, not once breaking eye contact.

I then clambered atop him, straddling him with my legs. "There. Much better." Satisfied, I leaned in to kiss him.

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_(Evangeline POV)_

After Isabelle had finished showing me the major rooms of the gigantic building, she decided to lead me to what was to be my room. It was, obviously, in the residential wing, so we had to walk down a couple corridors of endless bedrooms before getting to the hallway of the Lightwoods'.

I was pleased at the level of decoration of the Institute. I was very used to the opulence of my mansion, so it was nice and almost familiar. I really liked the old Victorian wallpaper and endless motifs of heavenly things. The ceiling on the topmost floor was my favorite, though, with the big mural of cherubs in the sky.

Isabelle explained to me that all of her family members lived on the same floor, all their rooms branching off from the same hallway. When we got to that corridor, I noted that most of the doors were closed halfway, but one was shut completely and one was open.

As we walked past the doors, Isabelle explained to me who lived there. "My mom, Alec, this one used to belong to my brother Max-"

"Oh," I said, interested, as I had not met that particular brother of hers. "Where is he now?"

"He's dead," she replied, not looking at me. "Let's keep going."

I blushed at my tactlessness, simultaneously feeling sympathy for my cousin. "I'm truly very sorry. I didn't know."

"It's fine. He died last year," Isabelle said, clearly concealing emotion. I wanted to help, but I didn't know how. "Anyway." She stopped in front of the closed door, knocking on it and yelling loudly, "Jace, are you in there?"

So it was Jace's bedroom. No one answered her, but an unexpected chorus of giggles filtered through the wooden door. "Shh," I heard someone say mutedly, probably not meant for our ears in the hallway.

"Jace," said Isabelle, a warning tone in her voice. "I'm going to come in…"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he called back, "unless you want your mind's eye to be severely scarred."

What was he doing that would be so disturbing? Isabelle seemed to understand, shaking her head at me in sisterly frustration. "Is Clary in there?"

"I dunno, maybe," Clary said from inside.

"Try not to stain anything this time," Isabelle grinned, taking my hand and leading me onward down the hall. She said to me in an undertone, "You can usually find them in his bedroom. Unfortunately, I'm next door so I can sometimes hear them, but you'll be far enough away for it not to matter."

"Hear them doing what?" I wondered cluelessly.

Isabelle raised an eyebrow at me. "Having sex. What else?"

My cheeks turned an even darker color than they had previously. "O-oh," I choked, embarrassed for them.

"You honestly didn't pick up on that?"

"Not really…"

She rolled her dark eyes. "And how old are you, again?"

"Seventeen."

Isabelle snorted. "Same age as me. And Clary." We were now in front of a half-opened door. Inside, I could see dark, glittery walls and clothes everywhere. "This is my room…" She kept walking, and beckoned me to follow her to the next chamber. "And this is yours. We're neighbors."

"That's nice," I said, edging closer to my new bedroom. The door was all the way open, so I strolled inside and looked around.

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**REVIEW PLEASE! What did you think? I'll keep trying to do one chapter (or more) every day if I keep getting support from all you nice people. :) **

**Thank you to Not Xander and Heffie, waterbluewings, brookeherondale24, Hjeq07 (and I'm not offended), and Lulu-bear76.  
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	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Here's another chapter. Warning: some people may not be happy. Try not to hate me. :) I have reasons for everything I'm doing, and I promise that you'll all be happy with the ending eventually.**

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Chapter Four

_(Evangeline POV)_

As I peered into my room, my blue eyes widened considerably. It was so… _small_. Small and plain. I walked in as if in a daze to the room that was probably at least half the size of what I was used to. And it had none of the elegance, the opulence, the drama. It was just a bedroom, with no furnishings or furniture except a bed against the wall with white sheets, a dresser, a petite bedside table, and a very basic armchair near its only window. I also saw a door, partly open to reveal a sterile-looking bathroom. At least the wood of the furniture matched, being a dark chestnut color. But the walls were as white as the bed-sheets and the floor was simple hardwood.

I was absolutely certain that I would die if they forced me to live there for any extended amount of time.

"I know that it's not much to look at," Isabelle said from the doorway, shrugging. "It _was_ a guest room, so we've never really had to update it from the basics."

"I see," I said evenly, trying to be diplomatic. That still didn't help the problem of my sparse new bedroom.

My cousin smiled, seeming to understand the pattern of my thoughts. "But you and I are going shopping tomorrow, and we're going to get some new decorations. And clothes. Lots of clothes."

"But… Didn't my servants bring my clothing through the Portal?"

"Well, yeah, but you need a new wardrobe. One that's fit for New York," she explained, fully walking in and sitting in the armchair. "So, you're from France?"

I nodded, going over to my bed and sitting down. It was springy, and I heard a strange metallic sound when I adjusted my weight. "Yes. My Mama and I had a mansion in the countryside."

"Sounds nice," she said, looking impressed. "What about your father?"

"I've never known him. It was the only thing that Mama ever kept from me."

"That's alright. My Mom and Dad divorced recently. Then Dad moved back to Idris. Have you ever been to Idris?"

"No, but I've heard it's really great."

"It is," Isabelle gushed. "It's so beautiful there. At least, it used to be…" Her expression suddenly turned sad. "My brother Max died in Idris."

"I'm very sorry about that." I knew especially what it was like to lose loved ones. "How old was he?"

"Nine."

My mouth dropped open. "That's terrible!"

"Yeah, you're telling me." She shook her head sadly. "He was murdered. By Clary's brother."

"Clary has a brother?" I wondered.

"_Had_ a brother," she corrected. "He's dead now, too, but no one was really upset about that. It's kind of complicated."

"I have time." I wanted to know more about my cousin's life. I had never had friends or family before, and I could tell that Isabelle could plausibly count as both, possibly in the near future.

"Alright, but I'm going to warn you. It's extremely complicated and borderline gross at times."

Did I actually want to hear what she had to say? I deliberated for a moment, before deciding that I definitely did. "Go ahead. I think I can handle it."

"Good." Isabelle opened her mouth and then launched into a complex story that told me everything I needed to know about the past year in everyone's lives. I was kind of disgusted when she told me that Jace and Clary thought they were brother and sister, and equally shocked when it turned out that Sebastian really was instead, even though he had tried being romantic with her. Overall, it was a very interesting tale.

"Wow," I said when she was finished. "You all must have interesting lives."

Isabelle grinned, probably tired from her long story. "You don't even know the half of it."

"My life is really boring in comparison," I said honestly.

"Really? Tell me about it."

So I did. I explained my privileged upbringing and everything else up until Mama's recent death that had been caused by an illness. "And then I came here," I finished.

My cousin was quiet for a little while. She said finally, "That wasn't boring. It sounds like your mom was really nice."

"Mama was wonderful. She raised me to be everything I am today."

"My mom is really nice, too. She might not seem like it at first, but she is."

"She seemed perfectly nice to me."

"That's because you're family," Isabelle grinned. "She wasn't very kind to Clary at first, because she was really upset about Jace maybe being the son of Valentine. I guess she took it out on Clary."

"So, are Jace and Clary… happy?" I asked. Their relationship appeared to have a lot of problems, after all.

"I don't know. I mean, they're always having sex and being lovey-dovey and stuff, but I think that something's wrong. You see, Jace has always had problems with… committing. It looked like he was going to be with Clary forever with no problems, but I can tell that he still wants to be with other girls, too. I mean, I don't really know if he's cheating or whatever, but I can see that he wants to. And I think Clary knows."

"Huh," was all I could think to say. I had never been in any kind of romantic relationship or even desired anyone that way, which made my life much less complicated. "Do you think he's going to?"

"I can never tell what Jace is going to do."

"What about Clary? She wouldn't be okay with that if he did, would she?"

"I doubt that any girl would be okay if their boyfriend cheated. Like me, for instance."

I was shocked. "You were cheated on?"

"Yeah, just a couple months ago. It turned out that my old boyfriend was also seeing a few other girls here and there. So I dumped his sorry ass as soon as I found out. He's still a nice guy, of course, but I can see why he cheated. We just weren't compatible. If he hadn't, I probably would have eventually."

"Were you in love with him?" I inquired.

"Evangeline, as soon as I find out what love is, I'll tell you. I don't think I've ever been in love. Maybe I just keep choosing the wrong types of guys." She shrugged, old pain coming into her eyes. "I used to think that my last boyfriend was different, but look what happened. Since then, I've been dating around like I used to. Monogamy isn't all it's cracked up to be, anyway."

"What was your last boyfriend's name?"

"Simon. Simon Lewis." She stood up. "Well, it was nice talking to you, Evangeline. See you later at dinner."

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**AN: Don't hate me! You'll see why I'm doing this later. But what did you think of the plot twist?**

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**Thanks to Lotuslita, CoolestxNerd, MikiMoke, lole12312, jackyb, and NewWriter1996. Keep reviewing please!  
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	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

_(Evangeline POV)_

The next day, at around noon, Isabelle bounced into my bedroom. I was reading while sitting in my plain armchair, but she wouldn't have it. She ripped the book from my hands, grinning wildly.

"Ready to go shopping?"

I held out my hand for my book, but she didn't hand it over. "I-I guess so. Can I have my book back?"

She didn't answer my question. "We're going right now. Come on."

* * *

I stood in front of a three-way mirror at a mundane boutique, examining my potential new outfit with a touch of hesitation. "I don't know… It's not really my style."

Isabelle rolled her eyes and sighed at my sheltered-ness. She'd been making cracks about it all day as we navigated the mundane world, me of course being completely confused and out-of-place. We'd just been to a few decoration stores, and now had moved on to clothing. "It looks really hot on you."

"Yeah, but being hot isn't really my thing," I tried to explain.

She had put me in an extremely clingy red dress that barely came down to my thighs. I felt naked, and very uncomfortable.

"Fine. We'll try to find a happy medium," she agreed reluctantly.

So we went back to perusing the racks of clothes. All of the dresses here were shorter than anything I was used to- my shortest dress at home was about two inches above my knees. "Or maybe we can go to a different store," I suggested.

"Pff," she said, waving a dismissive hand at me while scouring a clothing rack. "You need to broaden your horizons." I trotted back to the dressing rooms and changed back into my normal outfit.

Feeling pessimistic about the whole shopping trip, I went to looking at some more racks on my own. I sifted through skimpy dress after skimpy dress, losing hope with each passing one. But suddenly, out of nowhere… I saw something that I actually liked.

I pulled it hesitantly off its rack, considering. The dress was a teal color that would look very flattering on me. It was just a touch longer than the others, with an inch or two of sheer material below the hem. It was off-the-shoulder and had sheer, flowy short sleeves. But it wasn't as clingy as the rest, and had the potential of me liking it.

"Hey, Izzy?" I called tentatively to my cousin, who had about a dozen dresses suspended from her arm.

"You find something?" Isabelle asked, coming over immediately.

"I think so. Maybe."

She steered me towards the dressing room. "Well, don't just stand there! Try it on! Right now!"

So I did, and it looked even better than I could have imagined. I came out of the tiny dressing room and walked back in front of the three-way mirror, and saw Isabelle's eyes widen as she took in my reflection.

She inquired excitedly, "Have we found our happy medium?"

I turned around a bit to see it from more angles. It looked very nice on me, showing off my lithe figure to good advantage. "Yeah. I really like this."

"Yes!" Isabelle cheered. "And you're also getting these things I picked out," she added, lifting up her burdened arm. The clothes shook from it like leaves in the wind. I stared at them unenthusiastically, opening my mouth to protest. "No buts. You're getting them."

"But Isabelle, I don't want to wear-"

"I said no buts, didn't I? Come on. Change back into your normal, boring clothes and we'll check out at the cash register. I think this is enough of a new wardrobe for now."

I visualized the bags of my clothes already sitting in my plain room. Adding more to the pile wouldn't help if I ever decided to unpack and put things in my closet and dresser. My servants had always done that for me, but it didn't seem too hard. Unless there wasn't enough room.

"Alright," I conceded, stalking back again to the dressing room.

It was later that day, approaching evening. I was putting the finishing touches on my redecoration of my room. Buying entirely new furniture would have been too time-consuming, but Isabelle and I got a lot of stuff that would make it seem more like home to me.

Everything was now done up in matching furnishings, mainly of pale pink. I had added gauzy curtains to the windows and paintings to the walls, a rug to the floor, and other various personal touches. I stepped back and surveyed the scene, satisfied at my work. It was now a room built for an Evangeline Juliet Trueblood.

Then I saw my pile of bags against the wall and groaned, beginning the monumental work of sorting everything.

* * *

That night at dinner, we were all sitting around the table in the dining room, minus Clary, of course. I'd learned that she actually didn't live at the Institute, since her mother was very protective and didn't want her to. We were eating spaghetti, which I was actually familiar with and found delicious. Mama had been an excellent cook, and I noted that her sister Maryse was the same.

Conversation flowed easily around the dinner table, although I was still a little uncomfortable around my family. I learned that Alec was gay, which was fine with me, but interesting, too. I had never met anyone like that before.

They were all recounting some party that had happened recently, where Alec had reconnected with his ex-boyfriend Magnus and had gotten back together after they settled their differences. I smiled, as it was a nice story.

Then he mentioned that this same Magnus was hosting a party tomorrow. Isabelle's face lit up, and she grinned at me. "You can wear your new dress that you like so much!"

"We're going to a Downworld party?" I asked frightfully. I hadn't been to _any_ parties, especially Downworld ones.

"Of course. Mom, we can go, right?" Isabelle appealed to her mother.

My aunt smiled, obviously used to this sort of request. "Sure. Just don't do any irresponsible."

Isabelle turned to Jace and Alec. "And you guys are coming to. You don't have a choice in the matter. Oh, it'll be so much fun!"

_Fun_, I pondered. _Hopefully_.

But I have to admit, when faced with my first impending party, I was a bit excited.

* * *

**A/N: You guys must hate me because I only got a few reviews. :( I'll make a deal with you. If I get a total of 20 reviews after I post this chapter (that's seven more) then I'll upload TWO chapters tomorrow! I really want to know what you guys think.**

**And I know that you all want Clace really really badly, but just bear with me! Stick through it. I promise you'll all be surprised throughout the story with all the twists and turns I have planned.  
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**REMEMBER TO REVIEW  
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**goodbye my lovelies xoxoxo  
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	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Yay! I got my reviews! Just because of that, you awesome people, I'm giving you exactly what I said I would: TWO CHAPTERS TONIGHT! Enjoy**

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Chapter Six

_(Evangeline POV)_

I was getting accustomed to Isabelle bursting into my bedroom and dragging me everywhere. This time, it was to her room to get ready for the party, which was apparently going to be wild and exciting like the rest of Magnus's parties "always" were, in the words of Isabelle.

Before she could actually haul me to her room, I grabbed my new teal dress by its hanger to bring it with me. So once we got in to her sparkly mess of a room, I looked around for a place to hang it up.

Isabelle saw me glancing around and laughed to herself. "Here, give your dress to me."

"Okay," I said, doing as she asked. Isabelle proceeded to throw it unceremoniously onto her bed, which was already cluttered with miscellaneous clothing articles. The whole room was that way, and I couldn't even see the floor. "Aren't you going to hang it up?"

"Not planning on it." She then grabbed my shoulders and steered me to her messy vanity table. "Time for makeup." Izzy then began to browse the many containers of the stuff on the table's surface. "I know you wear lipstick, but what about everything else?"

I replied honestly, "I don't ever feel the need to wear makeup."

She sighed exasperatedly at me, which was quickly becoming a habit for her. "It's not a matter of whether you _need_ it or not. It's about _enhancing_ what you already have," she instructed. "Now hold still, and keep your eyes closed."

Isabelle applied a full face of makeup onto me, including eyeliner, mascara, blush, and other such things. When she was finished, she announced, "Your face is done. You may look in the mirror."

I opened my eyes and was instantly surprised. She had given me smoky eyes and extremely long eyelashes, which made my sapphire irises stand out even more. My cheeks were tinged pink and my lips bright red. Overall, I looked even more beautiful than what I would have expected possible. Dazed, I lightly touched my face to make sure that the goddess in the mirror was really me.

"Izzy, I… don't know what to say. Thank you."

Isabelle crossed her arms and smiled in a self-satisfied way. "You're not done yet."

"I'm not?"

"Hair. Have you ever straightened it? Wait. Of _course_ you haven't straightened it. That's going to change today."

That was a novel idea. She was right- I had never straightened my hair before. Every day of my life, I had the same glossy black curls. I wondered what my hair would look like straight.

After a long straightening process, I got my answer.

My long hair was much flatter than usual, and looked like half of it had been removed from my head. But… it still looked good. My bangs, which I always brushed to make them not curl up, now matched the rest of my hair. It was interesting, and surprisingly pretty. It was certainly a different look for me, but I didn't mind it.

"Wow… Izzy, you've outdone yourself," I said, mainly at a loss for words. "I look beautiful."

"Thank me later. Put your dress on while I get ready." So I did, and then watched how quickly and effortlessly Izzy applied her own makeup. "You must wear makeup a lot if you can do that so quickly."

"Damn right," she said, applying a few coats of mascara perfectly. "There. I'm done." She turned around to look at me, and grinned. "Well, don't you look like a city girl."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah, especially if you're going to a Downworld party like we are. But you need accessories, big time." Isabelle fished around her messy room for a couple minutes, sometimes throwing things in my direction for me to put on. Silver pumps, a gray fedora hat, and a long string of pearls. "Wear these. I think they'll give you a good balance between old-fashioned and modern-day, and they'll look great with your dress."

I did as she commanded, and then looked in the mirror again. It was a new and different look for me, but was one that I liked. And I was still recognizable as myself, only a less naïve and out-of-place version. "Now can I thank you?"

"You may."

"Well, thanks, then."

"Why don't you go downstairs now? The boys are waiting by the door. Tell them I'll be down in a minute."

"Okay," I said, once again doing as I was told. When I finally arrived in the hallway in front of the elevator, I saw that Jace and Alec were already waiting. I walked near them and leaned against the wall. "Izzy will be down soon. She just needs to get dressed, and told me to tell you that it'll only take a minute."

Alec snorted. "More like twenty, knowing Izzy." Alec had traded in his usual sweater-and-ratty-jeans combo for a clingy T-shirt and nice dark jeans. I assumed that he was trying to look nice for his boyfriend, which was cute.

Jace was uncharacteristically silent. I noticed that he was wearing a white shirt with jeans and a leather jacket, sunglasses perched on top of his blond curls. "Why do you need sunglasses?" I joked lightheartedly. "It's going to be nighttime soon."

It was then that I observed that he was staring at me again, not saying a word, but just gazing at me. This time, it seemed almost… more personal, if that's possible. It was like he was staring into my soul, scrutinizing not only my body but also my mind and thoughts. It made me apprehensive, but also intrigued. Butterflies came into my stomach at the sudden attention.

But for whatever reason, I found myself staring back.

_(Jace POV)_

When Evangeline walked into the hallway, I didn't pay much attention. I just wanted to go to the party already and come back. Clary couldn't come, so it was bound to be a long night.

But when Evangeline spoke to Alec and me, I looked up and found myself pleasantly surprised. Sure, she was as beautiful as any woman in her family, but tonight she looked absolutely breathtaking.

She said something more, but I only saw her lips move. No sound, as I was too busy staring at her. She was so gorgeous, and… I wanted her.

Sure, Clary was pretty too, in a way that most people wouldn't expect. Pretty because she didn't know it. And I loved Clary, I really did, but I couldn't help myself. Even the first time I saw Evangeline the first time, she interested me. How innocent she seemed, how easily embarrassed. It had confused me why I felt that way, and I tried to get over it by taking it out on Clary and having sex with her. And it was fun, as it always was, and I remembered that I loved her as much as I did.

But now, with Evangeline standing in front of me in her teal dress, I was overcome with a different emotion entirely. Clary had gotten my attention from being dressed by Isabelle last year, but that was more over-the-top and obvious. Sexy, definitely. But Evangeline was sexy in her own way, a sort of understated and innocent way, and it made me want her all the more. Just as Clary had been different, Evangeline was also different and it sparked my interest.

And sometimes, I didn't know if my relationship with Clary was going to last. I couldn't picture us getting married any time soon, mainly because neither of us wanted to get married. But I couldn't even picture Clary being the only woman in my life, for the _rest_ of my life. And we had been through so many problems together, but most of the passion had disappeared. Except in the bedroom, but that was different.

Staring at Evangeline in the hallway, I knew without a doubt that she would be mine. I wasn't necessarily done with Clary, but it was time for Jace Wayland-Herondale-Lightwood to reconsider his options. And Evangeline was the perfect girl for my purposes.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

_(Evangeline POV)_

We finally arrived at the party, which was being held in the industrial section of Brooklyn at Magnus's house, as Izzy explained to me on the way. All the way there, Jace had been making eyes at me, so I felt a little embarrassed at the attention.

The four of us- I assumed that Clary couldn't make it- approached the apartment building, out of which was wafting muffled techno music. Alec in particular seemed really peppy and excited, but that was only to be expected because he was about to see his boyfriend, who I couldn't wait to meet. We went inside and I instantly noticed that the place was packed with Downworlders. They were everywhere! Dancing, laughing, socializing, everything.

Alec suddenly grew animated and yelled, "Magnus!"

Then he ran up to someone who was very tall, and kissed him in front of everyone. It didn't last too long, so I wasn't that uncomfortable, and then they walked hand-in-hand towards us.

Magnus was well over six feet tall and as skinny as a telephone pole. His hair was sparkly and gelled away from his face, which in turn was covered in glittery makeup. He was wearing tight red leather pants, and a black vest over a bare chest. Overall, he and Alec made a very adorable couple.

"Isabelle," he said cordially in a languorous voice by way of greeting, nodding at her and then Jace. "Blond one." And then he saw me, eyebrows rising towards his shimmering hairline. "And who is this? I wasn't aware of another Lightwood."

Izzy told him, "This is our cousin, Evangeline. She lives with us now."

"Nice to meet you," I said nervously, because I had never met a warlock before, especially such a flamboyant and good-looking one.

Magnus seemed amused. "You look like a combination of these two," he said, pointing a finger lazily to Alec and Isabelle. "How quaint."

My eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

He laughed exuberantly, and then said, "It's very nice to meet you too. What's your name?"

"Evangeline Trueblood," I responded.

"Evangeline. Lovely name. Well." He stretched lazily, a bit like a cat. "Do enjoy the party, all of you. Alec?" With that, he held out his hand to his boyfriend, who stared at him adoringly the whole time he was talking. Alec took it, and the two of them walked away from the rest of us.

Isabelle stared at their retreating figures, smiling. "Typical. They're probably going to make out now. Speaking of which, I need to find a new romantic interest. Should I go with a fey or vampire? I can't decide."

Jace had his sunglasses on, although we were indoors and in a dim room. He suggested, "Go with a vampire. The fey are notoriously high-maintenance."

"Good point. See you guys later," Izzy said, beginning to walk away and then pausing. "Jace, be nice to Evangeline. Talk. Mingle. Show her around."

"I'll be fine," he said airily. "Go on. Find a vampire boy-toy."

"I think I _will_," she told him defiantly, flouncing off.

Then, Jace turned to me, smirking. "So, Evangeline. I believe that this is our first conversation."

"I suppose it is," I said back.

"Want to go upstairs to the main room?"

I nodded and adjusted my fedora hat. "Sure."

As we started to navigate the crowd, Jace took hold of my hand. When he saw my surprised (and blushing) face, he told me, "It's just so that you don't get lost. There are lots of unsavory types that come to these things."

"Okay," I said. We went upstairs and located an empty couch near one wall, where we sat down and started talking.

* * *

Hours later, we were still talking. It turned out that Jace was really funny and surprisingly sweet, and his charisma rubbed off on me a little. I found myself coming out of my shell a bit more as we chatted and laughed like old friends. And it _was_ as if we were old friends, in a way. After only a few hours of conversation, I felt like I had known Jace for years. It just seemed _right_, almost, and our conversation flowed easily and naturally.

But after awhile, we weren't talking as much. But don't think that that means that we were bored, because we weren't. We were sitting very close together and Jace had put his arm around me an hour before. Now we were both lost in each other's eyes (as he had removed his sunglasses after I pointed out how ridiculous they were), me staring up at his beautiful face. He was so handsome, and charming, and everything that a girl could want. And around Jace, I wasn't as shy as I usually was. It was nice, having a quiet moment or two while the party roared around us.

And eventually, Jace bent his face down just a bit to make our lips touch. I got lost in it for about a second, caught up in the romanticism and drama, until I realized exactly what was happening. I pulled back, alarmed. "Jace, what are you doing?" I whispered, not out of trying to keep my voice down but out of emotion.

"Trying to kiss you," he replied honestly, cupping my face in one of his warm hands and gazing at me. "Why, is everything alright?"

I had just had my first kiss, and it was everything I expected and wanted since I was a little girl. Except for one thing. "What about Clary?"

"What about her?" He lightly kissed me again, the pressure of his lips on mine almost making me lose it entirely.

But I drew back again. "You're confusing me, Jace. Just two days ago, you two seemed so happy, and now you're acting like you're interested in _me_ instead."

"That's because I _am_ interested in you. Evangeline, you're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. I thought I'd seen beauty before, but I was wrong. And you're… nice, too. And smart. Not just a pretty face."

I blushed, both at his kiss and comments. "Really?"

"Of course. I feel like I've known you forever."

I giggled at his sweetness, and this time _I_ leaned in to kiss _him_.

Eventually he deepened it slightly, removing my hat and tangling his fingers in my long straight hair. And I kissed him back, utterly in bliss.

Until I saw someone standing in front of us out of my peripheral vision. I pulled back in embarrassment and saw… Clary. "Jace?" she cried uncomprehendingly.

"Shit, _Clary_," he said quietly. "This-"

She shrieked, drowning out whatever response he was forming, "NO! What do you think you're _doing?_"

I let my head fall into my lap, unable to believe that all of this was happening. It had transformed from the best night of my life to the worst in just a matter of seconds. My life was over.

* * *

**A/N: DRAMA! What did you guys think? Yes, it's a bit of a love triangle, but just wait! This isn't as complicated as it gets! :D Will Clace get over their problems? What will happen between Jace and Evangeline?  
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**REVIEW PLEASE  
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**love for everyone xoxoxo (especially BubbleGirl26, C, sol herondale, Hold Onto Your Panties (lol), Ellie277, mr. carstairs, jaceXclary4life, MikiMoke, and NewWriter1996)  
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	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I AM SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY THAT THIS TOOK FOREVER! My jerk older brother broke our internet and we had to get it fixed and I've only been able to use the computer this morning. But the good news is that I have another chapter for all of you! I hope you enjoy it. :)**

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Chapter Eight

_(Clary POV)_

I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that my Jace would do that to me. How could he? He was in love with me, and I was in love with him. Just the other day, he was acting all passionate and we slept together. How could I handle his betrayal?

But not just how did he do it, why? Why did he feel the need to cheat on me with the new girl? And Evangeline seemed so nice. Izzy sure seemed to like her enough, anyway. They were bonding really quickly. It took awhile for me to bond with Izzy, basically because I was so jealous of her. Evangeline had no right to be jealous of anyone. Maybe that was why they were friends so quickly.

Evangeline was so beautiful and captivated the attention of everyone she met. She already had everything. And now she had Jace too. I had nothing. I was worthless. I was just Clary, that redheaded moron who loved Jace and fell for his tricks.

But try as I might, I couldn't stop loving him. When two people have been through so much together and haven't lost their love, it's almost impossible to lose at all. And I knew that Jace still loved me, even though he cheated on me like that. It was just _Jace_, Jace with his commitment issues and stuff. It was a price I had to pay for his love, and a price that I decided I could handle. I didn't trust him as much, but I had never really trusted him to begin with.

_Should I talk to Isabelle?_ I thought. _She was cheated on by Simon. If anyone knows what I'm going through, it's probably her._

However, I realized that I didn't want someone in my situation. I needed to talk to someone who understood Jace's point of view without actually talking to Jace, because I was still angry with him. As much as I loved him, I could still be angry. But who would understand what Jace was going through?

It came to me. _I should talk to Simon!_

So I went to his house and knocked on the front door. "Simon!" I called.

I heard footsteps from inside, and then the door swung open. "Clary, why are you here?"

It was Simon, standing in the doorway and looking sleepy. Then again, it was nighttime. "I need to talk to you. Are you awake?"

"Why didn't you just call me like a normal person?" he asked, rolling his eyes at me. "Oh wait, you're Clary. You're never normal."

I put my hands on my hips. "Are you going to let me in or not?"

"Fine, come in," he said, moving out of the way so that I could enter. Then we walked to his room, waving at his mom on the way when we passed the living room. "Now, what do you want to talk about?"

"Simon…" I began. I was sitting on the edge of his bed, my feet not touching the floor because of my shortness. "…you know how you cheated on Isabelle?"

He sat next to me, wearing an ill expression. "Is that all you're here for? I don't really want to talk about that."

"No! Just listen to me! I need to talk to you about this."

"Why?"

I took a deep breath and stared into Simon's comforting brown eyes. "Jace cheated on me."

"So you want the perspective of a fellow cheater? Well, I'm sorry, but I think my reasons are different from Jace's. And besides, Clary! Didn't I tell you from the beginning that he was bad news?"

I was taken aback by part of what he said. "Wait, what do you mean your reasons were different? What _were_ your reasons?"

Simon sighed. "Can you promise not to laugh at me?"

"Of course! I wouldn't laugh at you!" I lied, really hoping that I wouldn't giggle at what he was about to say.

"I cheated on Isabelle because… Neither of us was happy. She wasn't happy because she could tell that something was wrong with me, and I wasn't happy because I was denying my true feelings."

"What were your true feelings?" I asked, taking his hand in my own.

"I'm getting to that part. Well…" His grip tightened on my hand and he said, "This is where you can't laugh. Promise?" I nodded in response. "Okay. Good." Now it was Simon who took a deep breath. "My true feelings were that I wasn't in love with Isabelle, because I was already in love with someone else."

"That's not funny at all," I told him honestly. "Why would I laugh at that?"

"Because of who I've been in love with for as long as I can remember. I tried to deny it and I nearly did for a long time, but I keep coming back to the same conclusion."

I pressed, "Who is it?"

"You."

"_Whaaaaaat?_" I was shocked. "So you cheated on Izzy because you were still in love with me?"

"Unfortunately, yes." He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it gently. It was all I could do to watch in surprised fascination. "And I still am."

"Simon, I… I don't know what to say!" Isabelle was my best female friend. And her boyfriend cheated on her because he was in love with me? Her boyfriend being Simon? Simon, my best friend of all? "I guess your reasons are different from Jace's. I think."

Simon released my hand and slumped his shoulders, no longer looking at me. "There. I said it. Are you happy now that you can reject me again?"

That got me thinking. _Maybe I have always taken Simon for granted. He's in love with me? Jace would be furious if he found out. I love Jace, but I also love Simon, in a way. I thought I got over this stage already. What should I do? _

Simon was my best friend, and when we tried to formally date, it didn't work out. But he _was_ handsome, and I was attracted to him… I always had been…

"I'm not going to reject you again," I said.

"Oh really?" He inched closer to me, so close that I was able to see the flecks of black in his dark brown eyes. Simon had always been good-looking, but ever since he became a vampire, he was hot. "Then are you going to let me kiss you?"

I gasped. _Should I be doing this?_ But I also wanted to enact my revenge on Jace. And Simon was literally _asking_ for it, asking for me to take this step. "Yes," I said quietly, making my decision.

Simon got a smirk on his face, then, which suddenly made me desperately want to kiss him. What can I say, I like the arrogant types. "Prove it."

So I did, closing the distance between our faces and pressing our lips together.

* * *

**A/N: Remember that this is not the end of Clace. Yes this story is getting complicated but I can promise that you'll all really like where it ends up. Which may be Clace or it may be a fun twist. Either way I can promise that you'll like it.**

**The next few chapters will be from Jace and Evangeline's POVs about the whole thing. I'll try to get them up quickly since you all had to wait so long, but I can't promise anything. :(  
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**REVIEWS ARE LOVE  
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**xoxoxo  
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**PS. Suggestions are always welcome if anyone has ideas. :)  
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	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I am sooooooooooooo soooooooooooorry for the long wait. I know it's been over a year now but its been a really hard year for me. I won't get too into it but my parents divorced and my brother is in college and my friends are being a bunch of assholes and I'm so lonely that I can barely get up sometimes. But im feeling better now so I decided to get back into the swing of writing this. :) **

**And it has been a year and I've grown up a lot since then, so I reread my story. I don't know. I still like it and I'm proud of it, and I'm not going to change anything that I already have written. Even so, I've got new ideas for what to do with this story so I hope you all enjoy! Xoxo**

Chapter 9

_(Jace POV)_

All of my thoughts were swirling around my head: _I am such a jackass. A fucking jackass, really. I can't believe what I just did. I ruined my whole relationship with Clary, all because I was attracted to some new Lightwood girl and decided to be an idiot about everything._ I was so mad at myself that I couldn't even begin to be rational about it.

I'd gone and done it. I'd kissed Evangeline, that beautiful new girl who excited me in a different way than clary ever could.

And it had been great. Like, really great. For a girl as utterly virginal as Evangeline, she sure was a good kisser. I could still feel her soft lips on mine as we breathed in each other's essences. It was a wonderful moment, and made me want to do it again and again for the rest of my life.

Talking to Evangeline beforehand had been equally special. It was like we had a bond, and had known each other forever. She was not only stunning, but also funny and sweet. I wanted to make her happy, and that was that. Even though I brought her upstairs to the couch with the intent of seducing her, it eventually transformed into wanting to please her and show her my romantic side. All my ulterior motives flew out the window, after only a couple hours of talking to her.

With Clary, it was all about passion, all the time. To be suddenly involved in an entirely different type of relationship was like a breath of fresh air. But… Evangeline and I didn't even have a relationship, not yet.

But I was dating Clary. I loved Clary, and I hated that I hurt her when she randomly showed up at the party and ruined everything. Or had it been _me_ that had ruined everything…?

I could scarcely believe what I'd done. Clary and I were so happy. Sure, I'd cheated on her a few times before (what can I say, I'm a weak man) but I always went back to her. I _loved_ my girlfriend, and even kissing a pretty girl like Evangeline couldn't change that.

But Evangeline and I had a connection, as soon as we started talking to each other. And we talked so easily… I felt like I could tell her everything, after only a few measly hours of getting to know her.

Then again, I had felt the same way with Clary. Clary and I really had a deeper relationship, and that wasn't just because of the physical aspect. I loved her and she loved me, so what do I do? Ruin it all, that's what. She had looked so angry… Angrier than she ever had before. And it was all my fault. I betrayed Clary and started taking advantage of an innocent, beautiful girl like Evangeline. How could Clary ever forgive me?

I had to talk to her, to try to explain myself and promise her that I loved her and that I didn't really mean it when I kissed Evangeline. I was caught up in the moment! That was the truth. Clary always appreciated the truth, which was convenient because I couldn't lie to save my life. So she would know that I loved her even now… _You, Jace, have gotten yourself into a real mess_, I thought. _Moron._

I took out my phone and texted her about it. "Babe I am so sorry please forgive me I love you I love you I love you. Let me make it up to you. Jace." Maybe now she could forgive me. But somehow… I had a sinking feeling that she wouldn't. At least for a little while.

_(Evangeline POV)_

Confusion swept over me, dizzying in its nebulousness. I felt like I was trapped inside a hurricane because of all the sweeping emotions. I felt happy and exhilarated from the kisses, but guilty because of how upset Clary was. And to top it all off, I was upset because I didn't know if Jace would want to ever kiss me again, or if I even wanted him to. It was all so perplexing.

As I sat in my armchair in my new room at the Institute, I pondered what life was like before romance entered the picture. And that wasn't hard to do, since only the past day and a half had been any different. I had been young and innocent, free from adult concerns like guilt and attraction. Now everything was confusing and different. If this was what love was like, I didn't know if I wanted any part of it.

I needed to talk to someone about it. I recalled that Isabelle had been cheated on by Simon. Even though our positions were different (I was the "other woman" and everything), I still felt compelled to talk to her. Thankfully, she was just one room away.

I stood up from my seat and padded out the door to her room, where I knocked on her door and waited for entry. "Hold on," I heard her say from behind it, and then I heard soft footsteps. Suddenly, her door was open and there she was in its frame, staring bemusedly at me. "Hey, Evangeline. What's wrong?"

"I just need to talk to you." Somehow, Isabelle hadn't found out about the cheating scandal yet. She just knew that Jace and I weren't talking and neither were he and Clary. Isabelle _had_ apparently found a suitable vampire boyfriend, and hadn't returned home until this morning when she was met with a house full of awkward silence.

"Yeah, sure. What about?" She waved me into her messy and glittery room, so I entered. There was so much stuff everywhere… I didn't know what to do with myself.

"Isabelle, you know how Jace is being really quiet and all that?" I began tentatively. She nodded, so I continued. "Well, last night, at the party…"

"What happened?" Izzy pressed impatiently.

I took a seat on her bed, the only clear space in the room. "Jace and I were talking a lot and it was great. And then it turned romantic, and we kissed. And Clary came in." I let my head fall into my hands, black curls pooling around my face. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I just don't know what to do."

Isabelle looked shocked, to say the least. Her full lips, so like mine, were open in an almost perfect O shape. "Well, shit. That puts things into a new perspective."

I flopped onto my side, no longer being able to sit up. It was like my heart was about to explode. "What should I do, Isabelle?"

She set her lips into a thin line, suddenly resolute. "You stay here for awhile. I'll call Clary and tell her to come over, and you two can talk. But now I have other pressing matters to attend to."

"Okay," I groaned miserably, looking up at Isabelle's glittered ceiling, beginning to plan what I'd say to Clary.

Isabelle apparently pulled out her phone when I wasn't looking, because I now heard her saying, "Hey, Clare-bear… Yeah, I know you're upset. Yeah. I heard what happened. Hey, can you come over? Evangeline wants to talk to you about it. Okay, great. See you soon."

As soon as she said my name, I glanced over, so I now saw her put her phone down. "Alright, Evangeline. You get dressed. Clary should be over in ten minutes."

She started walking out, so I called after her, "Where are you going?"

She paused at her door, looking back at me. "Me? I'm about to tell off a certain Jace."

**A/N: There you go! I'd like to thank everyone who supports this story and has sent me a review or a favorite or anything. You guys keep me going. :) I have so many ideas for this story and I can't wait to execute them. R&R, please! I might write more later, or maybe tomorrow instead. We'll see! Haha.**

**And 45 reviews! Wow! I am so thankful, really. Can we try to get it over 50?**

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxo**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Apparently people interpret one character's actions to mean that I'm glorifying cheating. I'm not, "Guest". Way to miss the point, haha. I'm really upset, though, that people misinterpreted what I wrote to such a degree. :( Not to say that I don't appreciate your review and everything, but it hurt my feelings that you didn't try to see the bigger picture. And BTW, I would have put this in a PM but you're anonymous so I can't. :) So, just to clarify, I AM NOT GLORIFYING CHEATING! You;ll all see what I mean in the upcoming chapter. **

Chapter 10

_(Isabelle POV)_

I had a bone to pick with someone, someone who deserved it. Who had cheated on one of my best friends in the world with one of my new friends. I was, to put it lightly, _pissed_.

"JACE LIGHTWOOD," I boomed impressively outside his bedroom door, knocking on it repeteadly in an ostentatious fashion. I didn't care that I was being annoying. The little bitch deserved it. "OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR OR ELSE."

Suddenly, the door opened a crack to reveal the blond head and impassive face of my adoptive brother. Usually I was happy to see him, but this time I just felt an oily wave of revulsion slide over me. "Yes?" he asked, trying to play it cool.

"Get out of my way right now if you know what's good for you," I commanded, arms crossed in my no-nonsense pose. No one could oppose me when I got commanding, including Jace.

Reluctantly, he slid back into his bedroom, saying, "Very well, then," and keeping the door propped open for me. I stomped in behind him, ready to blow a gasket.

Once he was seated on his bed like a little boy sent to his room for bad behavior, I started telling him off. "What the _fuck_ did you think you were doing, you—"

He interrupted me, holding up a hand. "If you're here to tell me what a jackass I am, you can leave. I know that already." I was about to give him a piece of my mind for interrupting me, but he suddenly looked so sad that the words died in my throat. "It's the only thing I can think about right now. What a fucking _moron_ I am, and how much I always hurt the people I love. I know that what I did was wrong, Iz, but I couldn't help myself."

"Then why did you?" I questioned, feeling it was about time for me to chime in. "And I know this isn't the first time you've cheated on Clary. What is it, five times? Do you know what you do to her, Jace? And now you've roped Evangeline into this too, and she's a nice girl. I can't believe you sometimes!"

Jace stared at me then, misery evident in his luminous gold eyes that I had once found attractive (okay, I was, like, thirteen when I had a crush on him). "It isn't five," he said quietly. "It's three, including this."

"Like that makes a hell of a difference," I scoffed, flipping my hair over my right shoulder because it was getting into my face. "You're still a serial cheater and a certified jackass, Jace."

"What can I say?" he said dejectedly, raking a hand through his golden curls. "I'm a weak and pathetic man, Izzy. I have no control sometimes."

"No, Jace," I said, "you're not a man. You're an immature _boy_ who can't keep his sex drive in check. Do you know how many people you'll end up hurting in the long run?"

I let him think about it for a few poignant seconds, and then he surprised me by talking, as if to himself. His voice was as low as it always was, but it shook with dark emotion. "I just wanted her to be mine. But then we got to talking and I realized that she's a great girl on her own. It's like we've known each other for years. And I feel especially awful because deep down, I want to get to know her more. But I also want to stay with Clary, because I love her." He turned to me and I saw that he had tears in his eyes. "What do I do?"

"Well, Jace, let me begin by telling you what it's like to be in Clary's position. When I found out that Simon cheated on me with Maia that one night (**A/N: try to roll with it**) I was devastated. It was like he had thrown me away, as if I was a used Kleenex or something. And then he told me it was because he was still in love with Clary. Do you know how that made me feel?"

"Terrible, probably," he mumbled. "I understand that I've hurt Clary deeply, but I still want to be with her. I've made up my mind. Evangeline doesn't know the history I've had with Clary, and you can't just throw that away. I really love that ginger." He smiled wearily, a tear sliding down his cheek.

"Then pray to God that she'll take you back," I said. "I'll talk to you more about this later." And with that, I left and felt mildly satisfied. It would take more than one conversation to change him, but it seemed that he was well on the "Road to Recovery".

_(Jace POV)_

After I talked to Isabelle, I felt a variety of things. I was really upset because of what I'd done, but I was happy because I realized that I wanted to stay with Clary. Thinking about Evangeline made me second-guess it, though, so I tried not to dwell too much on her.

I would go to Clary and beg for forgiveness. I'd do something really romantic, like a candlelit dinner and a night of loving passion. And better than that, I'd try to change, really. I thought, _Clary will be so happy. I'll dedicate myself to her and her only, forever. _Maybe I'd even buy a ring and propose to her. As messy as this situation was, it helped me realize how much Clary really meant to me.

But Evangeline… Part of me still pined after her, with her delicate beauty and palpable innocence. She was probably better off without me. And besides, I was going to go back to Clary and maybe even marry her…

It was then that I realized I'd gotten a reply text message from my girlfriend. I was excited. She was probably going to tell me that she forgave me, right?

_Wrong._ "I really don't give a damn anymore if you say that you love me, Jace. We're through, for real. I mean it."

Overcome with rage and grief, I chucked my phone at the window (which it shattered) and threw myself onto my bed, trying to contain the tears.

And I never cried, not since I was a little boy. _You fucking jackass. You ruined everything._

**A/N: You see what I mean? I'm not saying that cheating is okay. I would know. My parents divorced after we found out that my dad was cheating on my mom. So believe me, I know that it kills families and hurts everyone involved. **

**And don't be too upset about this. I still have maaaaaaany tricks up my sleeve, and you all probably won't guess any of them. :D I'm keeping you on your toes! Haha!**

**And wow, 51 reviews! that's amazing! I'm so beyond myself it's not even funny. That's why I wrote this chapter early. And just as a matter of note, I've bcome an insomniac lately so I might be posting chapters at weird times in the future.**

**Xoxoxoxoxoxo**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I've been getting some reviews lately that don't sit well with me. I still really enjoy getting reviews and everything, but I'm getting sick and tired of people telling me that I'm writing the characters in my story wrong. It's an interpretation and I would really be happy if people would refrain from doing that in the future. :) Suggestions are always welcome but please try to be nice and don't insinuate that everyone should be beating each other up, haha. I've gotten a few comments like that! I added a thing to the summary saying that it's OOC, so I hope you're all happy.**

Chapter 11

_(Clary POV)_

I was so mad at Jace that I could barely function. How dare he do that to me? It was bad enough with Aline, with knowing that they had been together intimately, but now I was just furious. I had suspicions that Jace hadn't always been faithful to me, but now there was proof. And it was with _Evangeline_ the new girl. I'd even asked him if he was attracted to her! I felt like such an idiot for believing that he loved me.

I arrived at the Institute to talk to Evangeline like I'd agreed to with Izzy. I needed to give that girl a piece of my mind. She had seemed so nice and sweet, but apparently I was wrong about her. She would just help Jace cheat on me, probably over and over again if I stayed with him. I was right to dump him. He totally deserved it!

The only thing that I wasn't happy about was the possibility of seeing Jace around the Institute. I was so angry with him that I didn't know how I'd react. I decided that I'd handle it if the situation came up, but I wasn't going to think about it until then.

When I got to the main living room of the Institute, I saw Evangeline sitting on a couch and looking at me guiltily. The sight of her made my blood boil with rage, but I repressed it. I needed to talk to her first, and try to be civil.

I sat down on a chair near her and opened my mouth to say something, but words started tumbling out. "Why the hell did I catch you and Jace kissing?" I yelled at her. "You knew that we were together! I thought that you and I could be friends eventually but I guess I was wrong!"

With every word, the pain in her eyes deepened until eventually, she was tearing up. Her lower lip trembling, she sniffled, "I'm truly very sorry, Clary. I didn't know what was happening. We were just talking and he seemed really nice and charming… And then all of a sudden we were kissing. I know that it's wrong, and I feel terrible about it. It's all my fault."

Seeing her hurt like that started to tug at my heartstrings. Before me was an innocent girl—even though we were the same age, I could tell that she was not nearly as self-aware or mature as I was. That made it easier to forgive her, somehow. And I knew Jace's effect on people. I had been a victim of his charm as well, and after he kissed me the first time, he had hurt me too. I could relate to the beautiful girl before me, even as tears started flowing from her shiny blue eyes. I was moved with pity… Me, the fiery Clary.

I walked over to the couch and sat next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders and starting to rub her back for comfort. I couldn't stand to see her crying like that, even though Jace had cheated on me with her. "Hey," I said softly, "I understand. I'm not as mad at you as I was."

She sniffed again and turned her pale, teary face to look at me. "Are you sure?" Her naïveté was obvious. I even bet that Jace had been her first kiss. She and I were kind of in the same boat, since I had been completely innocent before Jace, too. Except for inappropriate jokes, but that's because I was friends with Simon.

"Yeah." I sighed then, thinking of the night before. When Simon had told me that he still loved me, and I kissed him. We had done more than kissing, as well. I felt guilty about it now, like I was using his feelings to take out my anger on Jace. I knew that Simon would do anything for me, and I felt that I had manipulated him into sleeping with me. Well, what can I say? We were both in a dark place. "And besides, I dumped him. I'm sick of him hurting me. I guess if you really like him, you can have him."

"Oh no," she said emphatically, "I could never do that. I feel so awful about everything. I don't think that I could ever date him or anything like that. I'd only think about how we had both hurt you, and how Jace could possibly cheat on me in the future, too."

I gave a dark laugh. "Well, that's fine with me. It would be kind of weird for the two of you to start going out." Suddenly, I heard some footsteps approaching us from the hallway, and I saw Jace poke his head through the arch leading to the living room. He looked sheepish and gaunt, like he hadn't slept. I found that I didn't care, and jumped to my feet, stalking over to where he was. "Get out right now, you asshole," I told him in no uncertain terms. "Or I _will_ cause physical harm to you." Isabelle had been giving me tips on fighting those with a size/strength/speed advantage, and I was definitely angry enough to apply them to Jace.

"I just want to talk to you," he murmured, "since I heard your voice. Clary, I—"

"I don't care," I said. "Get the fuck out of this room. I'm talking to Evangeline."

"But Clary, I'm sorry and—"

"NO!" Without thinking, I slapped him right across the face, like I had when we barely knew each other and I thought he was a jerk. I supposed that was the right opinion of him to have. "I don't care about you and I don't want to get back together. And that's final."

He was silent for a few moments, watching my face and searching it for any vacillation. But my mind was made up, and I think he understood, because he said, "Fine," and turned around to walk back down the hallway. But as he turned, I saw him cast a glance at Evangeline, who was quietly drying her tears on the couch.

I went back over to her, a new plan forming in my mind. I couldn't stand to be here with _him_ in the house. "Hey, do you want to go out for lunch?" I asked her. "We can talk and get to know each other better." My anger with Evangeline had all but disappeared, and I found that I wanted to become friends with her. I could see why Izzy wasn't mad at her, too. It was just something very… _pure_ about her. She exuded that energy, and also a type of magnetism. I felt compelled to spend more time with her.

She smiled weakly. "That would be great. Are we going now?"

I helped her to her feet. "Let's."

* * *

We ended up going to Java Jones for coffee and lunch, and having tons of fun. I found that Evangeline was really likeable, just as I had suspected. She and I had a natural friendly chemistry and played well off each other, me the artsy redhead and she the innocent foreigner. She was funny, too, in a genuine way. Evangeline cheered up a lot over those few hours, and so did I. And we became friends. I used to have trouble finding female friends, but it just felt natural with Evangeline.

My phone kept going off with Jace trying to call and text me, leaving voicemails and everything. Eventually I just turned the sound off, because he was being really irritating. And hearing constant choruses of "A Whole New World" (okay, don't judge me, it's my ringtone for when Jace calls) didn't help anything, but it did let Evangeline and me discover our mutual love of Aladdin and other Disney movies.

When I was turning the sound off, though, I realized that I'd gotten a lone text from Izzy: "I had a great idea that we should have a mini-party 2 clear the air. How about tonite?"

I brought it up to Evangeline, and we decided that it was a great idea to have some friends come over to the Institute for a little get-together. And even if Jace was going to be there being annoying, I could probably ignore him. And maybe Simon would realize that we weren't meant to be after all. I was done with men for the moment.

I texted back, "Sounds great!"

**A/N: Thanks again to my reviewers! You guys are great! I love you all, hahaha. Reviews make my world go round! :)**

**Xoxoxoxo **


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